Chinese Crispy or Sizzling Rice

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Rinse 1 cup of long- or medium-grain rice in a pot. Add 1 1/2 cups water (1 1/4 if using medium-grain rice) to the rice and bring to a boil.

2. Step 2

   Cover and simmer at low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from burner and allow to cool.

3. Step 3

   While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 300 F.

4. Step 4

   Place the rice on a baking sheet, making sure that it is about (but no more than) 1/4-inch thick.

5. Step 5

   Bake the rice for 50 to 55 minutes until it’s dry.

6. Step 6

   Cool and cut into 2-inch squares. Store in a container until needed but don’t freeze.

7. Step 7

   The rice is now ready to be deep-fried. The trick to using deep-fried crispy rice is to make sure that both it and the sauce or soup it is being added to are very hot. That way you will hear the crackling sounds. Unfortunately, this makes for a lot of last-minute work–you can’t deep fry the rice crusts and then set them aside to add during the final stage of cooking. Instead, the rice should be deep-fried before the dish is served, with the soup or sauce being kept warm during this time. Deep-fry a few at a time, turning constantly until they brown and puff up (this will take only seconds). Drain on paper towels. Bring to the table, quickly pour the hot liquid over it, and listen to the rice snapping and popping. Safety Tip: If not handled properly, cooked rice has the potential to grow a bacteria called Bacillus cereus . To prevent this, make certain the rice is completely dried, then rapidly cooled, cut into squares, placed into a container, and refrigerated for no more than seven days before use.